Golf bag construction



Dec. 28, 1954 w K Ns 2,698,040

GOLF BAG CONSTRUCTION Filed Nov. 18, 1952 IN V EN TOR WM,M$M

A T TORNE Y5 e United States Patent GOLF BAG CONSTRUCTION Howard J. Wilkens, Cincinnati, Ohio, assignor to Mac- Gregor Sport Products, Inc., Cincinnati, Ohio, a corporation of Ohio Application November 18, 1952, Serial No. 321,119

4 Claims. (Cl. 150--1.5)

This invention relates to golf bags and is primarily concerned with the construction of a bag which is particularly adapted for use in conjunction with a bag pushcart of the type which is commonly in use at the present time.

Golf bag pushcarts have been increasing greatly in popularity over the past few years, particularly among players who wish to save the expense of a cadd1e or to play at times when, and in areas where, caddies are not readily available. There are a number of specifically different types, all of which have been designed for the general purpose of use in conjunction with existing types of golf bags. Conversely, the basic purpose of this invention is to provide a bag which is specially constructed and specifically adapted for use with all of the existing types of carts.

All carts presently in use have many similarities in construction. In each case, there is a relatively vertical standard member or the equivalent thereof, one or more wheels at the base of the standard, a handle, and means for supporting the bag in close juxtaposition to the standard. These supporting means invariably include a horizontally extended base member of some sort adjacent the axle of the wheels, on which the bag is designed to seat and some form of attachment member or members disposed adjacent the upper end of the standard and the inner end of the handle for holding the bag against the standard and preventing it from tilting or falling off as the cart is wheeled around the golf course.

'The upper attachment member is of various different types depending upon'the particular cart. In some instances a fabric strap is passed around the bag under the upper bead and buckled. In other cases, a metal fork constitutes the primary support for the bag and a strap extending from the ends of the fork encircles the bag. In still other instances, metallocking clamps are provided. In one type of cart, a hook is adapted to engage a loop in the carrying strap or handle of the bag. I

There are various objections to each of these different types of attachment means arising primarily from the fact that prior to the advent of the carts golf bags were not constructed with the thought in mind that it would ever be necessary to support them in this way.

Conventionally, golf bags are constructed so as to include a rigid reinforcing cuff at their lower end, and a similar reinforcing cuff at their upper end. A number of thin rods, or other connecting members, are joined to the two cuffs and together with the cuffs define the contour of the bag. In addition to the cuffs and reinforcing members, a body of leather or fabric extends around the connecting members and is secured to both cuffs. Bags of this construction are rigid at either end, but are relatively flexible in the area between the upper and lower reinforcing cuffs.

The height and shape of golf bags vary, and as a result, in an effort to make golf carts of universal utility; that is to adapt them for use with any type of bag, the upper attachment member of some carts is located so that it passes around the bag at a point normally below the upper reinforcing cuff in the flexible portion of the bag. As a result, with any type of circumferential fastener, whether it be a fabric strap, a metal strap, or a combination of the two; if the fastening is sufficiently tight to properly support the bag, it will also tend to collapse the portions of the bag about which it is passed.

With golf bags of a particularly inexpensive construction, a bag may even be distorted to an extent that the clubs are unduly restrained. In bags of a heavier construction, such as those constructed wholly or substantially from leather, the fastening means does not collapse the bag sufficiently to impair the withdrawal or insertion of the clubs, but nevertheless, the fastening means invariably scuffs and chafes the exterior of the bag to mar its appearance and in some cases to the point where the bag material is actually worn through. Since almost all cart owners at times use their golf bag without a cart, the bag at best presents an unsightly appearance and if appreciably scuffed or torn its utility may even be impaired.

Having in mind the difficulties of cart owners to keep a golf bag in good condition, and as previously stated, the provision of a golf bag specifically designed and adapted for use with carts, one of the principal objects of this invention is to provide a bag which will retain its shape when used in conjunction with any type of cart, and which is protected from excessive wear by means of its novel construction.

More specifically, the principal concept of this invention is to eliminate the upper reinforcing cuff conventionally provided and to provide instead a sliding collar of substantially rigid construction positioned on the exterior of the bag, and adapted to engage the upper attachment means of a bag cart in such a way that the cart is in effect secured to the sliding collar rather than to any portion of the exterior surface of the bag body.

Additionally, the upper portion of the bag body is reinforced to form a substantially rigid surface of substantially the same configuration as the collar, and in effect forming a sleeve over which the collar may slide. Since the collar engages the sleeve over substantially its entire circumference, there are no points of concentrated wear such as those attendant the use of a strap in engagement with an irregular contour. The collar may be selectively positioned on the sleeve to bring it into registry with the upper attachment means of any cart and will prevent the attachment member from collapsing the bag or chafing the body member. Furthermore, should it be desired to employ a shoulder strap so that the bag may be carried in a conventional manner, the collar may be shifted to the extreme upper end of the bag where it will function as a conventional reinforcing cuff for maintaining the shape of the mouth of the bag against the pull of the strap.

Another object has been to confine and limit the sliding movement of the bag collar so that it will not slip off the end of the bag and will not slip downwardly to a point where it is in any way obtrusive in the event that the bag is used without a cart. 7

Another object has been to dispose the bag carrying strap beneath the collar in such a way that the utility of the strap is not affected and, at the same time, the strap functions to limit the movement of the collar over the particular area where such limitation is desirable.

Other and further objects and advantages will heapparent from the further and more detailed description of the invention when considered in conjunction wit the drawings, in which i I Figure '1 is a side elevational view showing a preferred embodiment'of the bag of the invention positioned'on and secured to a bag cart of a representative type.

Fllgure 2 is a sectional view along the line 2-2, Figure Filgure 3 is a sectional view along the line 3 -3, Figure In Figure 1, there is illustrated a pushcart designated 10 which is generally representative of the type of carts presently in use. This cart includes a vertical standard 11, a base 12 for supporting the bag and a bracket 13 secured to the standard and the base. The base 12 may have an upstanding peripheral flange. Afork member 14 supports the wheel 15 or wheels on the axle 16 and preferably is journalled in a bracket 17 secured to the standard 11. The fork member 14 is preferably foldable against the standard for collapsing the entire structure for transporting and storing it, and a set screw 18 may be utilized to hold the fork in the desired extended position.

A bracket 19 is secured to the standard at its uppermost end and supports the handle which is preferably journalled on the pin 21. A band 22 formed of metal or fabric as desired is threaded through a slot (not shown) in an inner extension 23 of the bracket 19 and extends circumferentially about half way around the bag to be supported. An attachment strap 24 is threaded through slots in the ends of the band 22 and may be tightened by the buckle 25 to secure the bag in position as rigidly as desired.

The bag itself is designated generally as 26 and includes a body portion 27, a reinforcing cuff or collar 28 at the lower end and a peripheral bead 29 at the upper end. A pocket 30 having a zippered opening 31 is positioned on the side of the bag and designed as a receptacle for articles of clothing or the like. A second pocket, 32, extends into the main pocket from the upper edge thereof, and likewise has a Zippered opening 33. This pocket is intended primarily for storing golf balls.

A hand carrying strap 34 is disposed on one side of bag and secured at its lower end by the flap 35 which may be riveted to the bag body. A buckle 36 is provided at the same point for a shoulder carrying strap (not shown) which may have its other end secured to the ring 37. The strap 34 which is preferably formed of heavy fabric has its upper end threaded beneath the slidable collar 38, over the bead 29 to the interior of the bag where it is secured by rivets 39 or the like. The loop 40 in the strap 34 supports a ring 37 adjacent the bead of the bag for supporting the upper end of the shoulder carrying strap as previously stated. I

The slidable collar, which constitutes the primary feature of the invention, is designated 38. As illustrated particularly in Figure 2, this collar is preferably of rigid construction and, in the preferred embodiment shown, includes a pair of rings 41 extending circumferentially around the bag and joined by the web 42. This web is reinforced by a rigid sheet member 43 which is stitched to the web at points 44. A loop 45 extends outwardly from the collar for supporting the bag on the particular type of cart previously referred to, in which a metal hook forms the upper attachment element. The collar is preferably of substantially the same peripheral outline as the mouth of the bag and fits sufliciently snugly thereon to maintain the particular position to which it is adjusted.

As shown particularly in Figure 2, the invention contemplates a rigid reinforcing sleeve 46 extending downwardly from the mouth of the bag to a central point substantially as shown. This sleeve completely encircles the bag and may be formed from a sheet of fiber board or the like secured at the edges as indicated at 47 (Figure 3). The primary purpose of the sleeve is to provide a uniform and rigid support for the collar over the area on which the collar is adapted to slide, so that the collar will always be maintained on the bag in the snug position desired. The sleeve is particularly advantageous in a bag formed from fabric, as bags of this type which have been made in the past have not provided the desired type of support over a sufficiently extensive area. In the case of a bag having its outer surface formed from material which is essentially rigid, such as metal or leather, it may be possible in some cases to dispense with the support provided by the sleeve.

Extending downwardly from the lower edge of the sleeve is a plurality of metal rods 48, which are confined in the closed seams 49. These rods may have their upper ends secured to the sleeve 46 by attachment means 50 and are adapted to provide for the lower end of the bag substantially the same degree of rigidity as is provided for the upper end by the sleeve 46.

In securing the bag in position on a cart of conventional construction such as shown in Figure 1, the base 28 is first placed in position on the base 12 of the cart. The slidable collar 38 is then adjusted on the bag to correspond in position with the location of whatever upper fastening means are provided on the cart. In fastening means employing straps, bands, or combinations of these two elements, the collar will, of course, be directly ad acent these fastening means. In the case of the particular cart which employs a hook as a fastening means, the loop 45 can be positioned properly to engage with this hook. It W111 be clearly apparent from the foregoing description that all chafing, scratching, or tearing resulting from the positloning of the upper fastening means will occur on the collar 38 and not on the outer surface of the bag which is at no time directly engaged.

When it is desired to use the bag in a conventional manner and without the cart, the collar is preferably moved to its uppermost position directly beneath the bead 29. In this position, the reinforcing collar strengthens the mouth of the bag against the pull of strap 34 or ring 37. It should be noted that when the collar is in this position it is completely inobtrusive and particularly does not interfere in any way with the use of the strap 34. If the proper degree of snugness is provided between the outline contour of the collar and of the bag, the collar will remain in the position in which it has been placed and will not tend to slide down on the bag. The frictional engagement provided by the positioning of the strap 34 between the collar and the bag assists in restraining the movement of the collar.

While the form of the invention which has been shown and described constitutes the preferred form, it will be apparent that various changes and modifications of structure can be made without departing from the principles of the invention as set out in the ensuing claims.

Having described my invention, I claim:

1. In combination with a golf bag, a continuous collar member extending peripherally around the bag on the outer surface thereof, said collar member being of rigid construction and having substantially the same outline configuration as the mouth of the bag and being slidable downwardly on the bag from the upper edge thereof to a central point whereby said collar member may be brought into alignment with the attachment elements of a golf bag cart, said collar member being effective to engage said attachment elements and maintain them free from contact with said golf bag and means formed integral with the bag for limiting the slidable movement of the collar member.

2. In a golf bag, a slidable collar positioned on the outer surface of the bag and a carrying strap for said bag, said carrying strap having a portion thereof extending between the collar and the bag and having one end thereof secured to the bag adjacent its upper end edge, the other end of said strap being secured to said bag at a central portion thereof, said carrying strap functioning to restrain the movement of the collar on the bag.

3. In a golf bag having its outer surface formed from fabric or the like, a rigid reinforcing sleeve on the interior of the bag, said sleeve extending circumferentially around the bag and downwardly from the upper edge to a central point on the bag, a slidable collar on the outer surface of the bag, said slidable collar being shiftable into alignment with the attachment elements of a golf cart and being effective to engage said attachment elements and maintain them free from contact with said golf bag, and means limiting the movement of the collar to the reinforced area of the bag.

4. In a golf bag having its outer surface formed from fabric or the like, a rigid reinforcing sleeve extending circumferentially around the bag and downwardly from the upper edge to a central point on the bag, a slidable collar on the outer surface of the bag, and means for limiting the movement of the collar to the reinforced area of the bag.

References Cited in the file of this patent UNITED STATES PATENTS Number Name Date 1,149,028 Chapman Aug. 3, 1915 1,681,225 Earl Aug. 21, 1928 1,840,663 Gallagher Jan. 12, 1932 2,007,709 Eppens July 9. 1935 2,613,952 Lannon Oct. 14, 1952 

